A Startling Discovery
by SquidbaggerOfWoomyAndNgyesness
Summary: A dancer named Ruby shows up at Ylisstol Castle one day, having to discuss something with Iniabi. What they, Cynthia, Idoun, Kjelle, and Severa eventually discover about her problem is extremely terrifying. Rating: High T/Low M.
1. A Startling Discovery

It was a gray dreary day in Ylisse. To most people, it would be a bad thing, but to a certain nervous red haired young woman, it was extremely soothing, even as droplets of rain splattered against the window of the carriage. It wasn't necessarily that she disliked sunlight. It just hurt her eyes and made her feel uncomfortable. Growing up, she came from a more colder region of the continent, so she wasn't quite used to natural warmth.

The woman's skin was a light pale, a result of the rare sunshine that she got back in Regna Ferox. Her hair was short and choppy, with black streaks mixed in with her dark red hair, and her eyes were a crimson red, both an inheritance from her mother. On her body was a thin crimson red deep-v dress that went all the way down to her belly button, revealing a lot of her skin and belly, especially her large breasts, which revealed a lot of cleavage. A simple dark red skirt adorned her lower body, a sash was wrapped around her lower body and skirt, and a red hooded shawl was wrapped around her shoulder, with the hood kept down. She also didn't wear any shoes of any kind, her bare feet below her on the metal floor of the carriage. But the most "unusual" thing about her was a strange birthmark that she had on top of her right breast, concealed with the right strap of her dress. When she had asked her mother about it before, her mother had seemed to get extremely defensive and had ordered her to cover it up with her clothing in public. Ruby had done so ever since, but she always wondered what it meant and why her mother seemed to hate it. It reminded her of the Ylissean Royal Brand, which she was confused about because she was a Feroxian Commoner, a simple dancer girl at that, but she had never asked again after witnessing her mother's strange behavior.

The woman watched the scenery go by with muted interest, occasionally flicking her eyes towards the opposite end of the carriage she was in. She couldn't see him, but she knew the rotund man driving the carriage was just outside the carriage in the driver's seat. She couldn't remember his name. She could usually remember people's names, but right now, all she could think about was how far away from home she was and how unfamiliar her surroundings were. She flicked her eyes towards the wall again. The driver had been nice enough thus far, but she had just talked to him a short time before she had disappeared into the carriage. Normally, she'd be singing right now, but she didn't want to distract herself too much. Besides, between the gentle beating of the rain against the window and the rapid tapping of her finger on the door, she could kind of make out a rhythm. She forced herself to look out the window again.

This was a big step for her, the biggest she'd ever taken. Hiring a carriage driver for such a long drive had been expensive, but it was worth it. Granted, it wasn't technically her money, but she had to get away. She had to leave. She knew that SHE was looking for her, but she wouldn't find her. Maybe someday she would, but not now. Not that there wasn't a part of her that wanted to, but she couldn't. Otherwise, there would be no point to any of this.

As she watched the passing scenery, she found her eyelids growing heavy. She tried to force herself to stay awake, but it was no use. Before long, she found herself drifting off into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

"M-Miss? Miss? We've arrived." a voice asked.

The woman scrunched up her face in annoyance, trying to wave off the voice after she'd finally been able to get some sleep.

"Miss?" the voice asked.

She felt someone touch her shoulder. Her eyes shot open instantly and she shrieked, recoiling in panic and frightening the driver, who let out a small yelp as he fell back onto his rear. The young woman's chest heaved rapidly, staring at him with wide frantic eyes. As the shock began to wear off, she realized that they had stopped and the carriage door was open. The carriage driver had just been trying to wake her.

"O-Oh... oh gods! I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." the girl sputtered.

The man just chuckled softly, holding up a hand to reassure her.

"It's alright, it was my fault. I didn't mean to frighten you, Miss." the man said in a polite tone.

He got to his feet, dusting himself off. He offered a hand to help the young woman out, but she just stared at it in uncomfortable silence. The man withdrew his hand, using it to stifle a cough.

"R-Right. Well, we've arrived. Welcome to Ylisstol." the man announced.

"O-Oh... yes. A-Alright." the woman said.

She grabbed her bag and got out, noticeably walking past the driver as quickly as possible. Her face was bright red with embarrassment.

"U-Um... thank you. For the drive, I mean." the woman said.

"No need to thank me, Miss. It's my job, after all. I do hope the trip was pleasant for you." the man said.

The girl bit her lip and nodded silently. She supposed it had been a comfortable drive, despite her nervousness.

"Well then, thank you for your patronage, Miss Ruby. Do feel free to request my services again, should the need arise." the man said.

"O-Oh... I will, um..." Ruby started to say.

"Kirb, Miss." the man said.

"Right... Kirb. Thank you. A-And I'm sorry for the trouble." Ruby muttered, scratching her cheek nervously.

"No trouble at all, I assure you. You have yourself a wonderful day." Kirb said.

He started to get back on top of the carriage, only to stop and turn towards her again.

"By the way... do I... know you from somewhere?" Kirb asked.

Ruby frowned and thought for a moment, before shaking her head.

"No, I don't think so." Ruby replied.

"Huh... I see." Kirb muttered.

The man shrugged.

"My mistake. Well, Goodbye, Miss Ruby." Kirb said.

With a tip of his hat, the carriage driver got back onto the carriage and drove off. The girl gave an awkward wave as he left and turned a corner, disappearing from sight. With a small sigh, she turned around and looked out on the plain that she had been dropped off at. Her jaw practically fell off her face when she saw Ylisstol in the distance. The rain had stopped, but the dark clouds remained. But even that didn't take away from Ylisstol's splendor. It was a truly gorgeous city of brick and stone, with a sturdy turreted castle perched atop a low-slung bluff. It made the redhead catch her breath, but then she remembered to breathe and exhaled sharply.

"O-Okay... I can... do this. I can do this!" Ruby muttered to herself.

She took out a scroll from a pouch she had on her. Growing up, Ruby had never known her father. When she had asked her mother, she seemed to get just as defensive towards her daughter as she did when she had asked about her brand, so Ruby never asked again in order to avoid getting yelled at. So it was just the two of them in their village. However, she had one night snuck into her mother's room when she was out for the night and found an old scroll hidden in a desk drawer. Upon looking at it, Ruby noticed that it was a transcript of her mother's past jobs, no doubt needed for when she got her new job in the village as a maid to the local lord and his wife. However, she had been surprised to read that her mother had once been a maid at Castle Ylisstol, before suddenly quitting and just uprooting herself from her home nation to live many miles away. In fact, according to the paper, her mother had quit being a maid about a month before she knew she was pregnant with her. Figuring that maybe someone at the palace might have been her father or at least knew who he could be, no matter how unlikely, Ruby made a plan to leave the village and travel to Ylisstol. Breaking into her mother's safe, she grabbed enough gold to secure a passage to the city, and then grabbed the transcript and enough food and water to last the trip, before disappearing into the night.

It had been five days since then.

Closing the transcript, Ruby took another deep breath and entered Ylisstol. Upon entering it, she was highly surprised to see the state of the city. She thought her village was bustling, but the crowds of nobles and commoners alike in the streets of the capital city going every possible way made her dizzy. Figuring roughly how to get to the castle, she passed the Western Gatehouse. The simple two to three story plebeian buildings and businesses near the gates soon gave way to bustling street markets and five story tall nobles' mansions lining both sides of the ceremonial main street that led to a gentle slope that curved around the bluff up to the castle gate. Just seeing the palace made Ruby's stomach knot up. If things went well, she knew that she'd be in the presence of Exalt Iniabi, Queen Cynthia, and Queen Idoun. If not and there was some sort of problem, well... Ruby felt sick thinking of what could happen. As she walked, Ruby noticed that many of the people around her gave her looks as she passed, their gazes directed at her body. The redheaded dancer realized that she was pretty exposed in her outfit, which left little for the eyes to imagine, and she shivered and crossed her arms around her belly, her cheeks bright red as she noticed some of the men smirking hungrily at her.

Picking up her pace, Ruby practically ran to the castle gates, where she felt safe to slow her pace. Coming to a stop, Ruby gawked at the castle. Up close, it was even more impressive than when she had been in the city. It loomed over her and everything else like a giant. It was all somewhat foreign to the girl. In her twenty three years of life, she'd left her village maybe five times total, if not less. And even then, she had never went more than ten miles in the snow and cold. She shook the thought of awe away, knowing she could wait until a later time to just stand there studying the castle, and started to approach the front gate, before pausing again. A chilly breeze made the girl shudder slightly, but not much, even with how much skin she had exposed. Growing up in Ferox, she had become accustomed to colder weather, so a simple breeze didn't do much to bother her. The young woman clutched at her right strap nervously as she stood before her destination. Now that she was actually here, her anxiety was returning in full force. She felt her chest tightening, her breaths growing short and ragged.

_"What am I doing here? What am I thinking?"_ Ruby wondered.

Maybe there was still time to find Kirb and get him to bring her back to her village. Ruby shook her head, grit her teeth, and strode forward. She'd prove herself wrong. She could do this. She was an adult, for crying out loud. However, as she was just outside the castle gate, she found herself hesitating once again. What if she got turned away and was unable to get inside? Why wouldn't they? She was little more than a stranger, a common dancer, to those inside. And they were strangers to her, too. A lump began to form in the girl's throat. She didn't know anyone here.

So what had brought her here, of all places?

She wasn't sure why, but something about the stories she heard of Iniabi had always caused her to feel weird. Sure, she knew that was a caring ruler to the people, and loving to his wives, Cynthia and Idoun, and children, Marth, Sayvra, Iona, and Adrian, but something about Iniabi always just caused her to feel a weird feeling in her gut. It was like she just HAD to meet him, to grow close to him. Or perhaps because she knew this was the one place her mother would never look for her. Still, she couldn't bring herself to talk to the guards stationed in front of the gate. She just stood there trembling, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, despite the chill in the air. She was far away from home, in the capitol of Ylisse, which she'd never been to before, about to request permission to enter Castle Ylisstol itself. About to just... barge into the lives of those inside. Ruby started to feel herself get a panic attack, but managed to calm herself just enough to approach the guards outside the gate.

"E-Excuse me?" Ruby asked.

The guards turned to her.

"Is something the matter, Miss?" one of the guards asked.

Ruby became flustered.

"O-Oh, nothing, r-really. I just... m-might I have permission to come inside? I have t-to speak to y-your leader. It's really important." Ruby asked.

"Do you have appointed business with Exalt Iniabi?" the second guard asked.

Ruby shook her head.

"N-No." Ruby replied.

"Then I'm sorry, but we cannot allow you access inside." the first guard said.

Ruby started to feel another panic attack coming up, but managed to suppress it. The girl started to reach a fumbling hand towards the scroll.

"B-But if you could just let me talk to him, I can..." Ruby started to say.

"Again, little miss, unless if you have appointed business in the castle, we cannot let you inside." the first guard said.

"P-Please, don't..." Ruby started to plead.

"What's going on over here?" a voice asked.

Ruby could have sworn that her heart stopped for a brief moment, time seemingly moving in slow motion as someone walked up to them. And then, there he was. Standing before her in a famously recognized well-worn tactician's outfit that had been adopted as a royal outfit, his dark blue hair unmistakable.

The Exalt, Iniabi Willows.

He hadn't changed much from his younger years. He had a few more wrinkles under his eyes and a faint scruff on his chin, but even at 34, he still looked fairly young. He laid eyes on the girl standing before him and smiled friendly towards her.

"Hello there, Miss." Iniabi greeted.

Ruby gave a small wave, a tiny nervous smile creeping across her face.

"H-Hi, M-Milord." Ruby mumbled.

She could only bear to look him in the eye for a brief moment, before staring at the ground, fidgeting awkwardly.

"I-I, um..." Ruby started to say nervously.

She shrank back a bit. The redhead opened her mouth to speak, but then quickly shut it tightly. She hadn't actually thought about what she was going to say when she got here, most especially to the Exalt himself. Conversation did not come easy to Ruby. She swallowed.

"I... I..." Ruby started to say.

"Milord, this young woman requests access to the castle, but she never made an appointment of any kind. If you want, we will..." the second guard started to say.

Iniabi shook his head.

"No need for that, men. I've said this many times before. The castle is for everyone to enjoy, not just the nobility. Whatever this woman wants, I'm sure it's important." Iniabi said.

The second guard bowed his head.

"My apologies, Milord." the second guard said.

Iniabi nodded and turned to Ruby.

"Come follow me." Iniabi ordered.

The guards opened the gate for them, and Iniabi and Ruby walked inside. As they walked through the halls of the castle, servants and soldiers passing them and giving a quick greeting to Iniabi as they did, Iniabi glanced at Ruby.

"Sooo... what brings you here?" Iniabi asked.

He glanced behind her, noticing no one accompanying her.

"I-I, uh... I don't know." Ruby replied.

Iniabi raised an eyebrow at Ruby, perplexed at the dancer girl. He scanned her body briefly and noticed her appearance. Her revealing form and clothing, her withdrawn posture, and the bag with her.

"What's your name?" Inaibi asked.

Ruby briefly glanced up at the blue haired man, before looking back down.

"R-Ruby, sir." Ruby replied.

"Okay. Ruby, did you... come here alone?" Iniabi asked gently.

Ruby let out a quiet whimper. She couldn't look at the man before her. He didn't want her here, she knew it. This was his home, his life. She didn't belong here. Ruby stopped walking and could feel her chest tightening up again. She began noticeably trembling in apprehension and Iniabi stopped, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Ruby, are you..." Iniabi asked.

"I-I'm sorry! I'll go." Ruby blurted out suddenly, squeezing her eyes shut.

"W-Wait!" Iniabi ordered, reaching out and gently grasping her wrist as she turned away.

"Ah!" Ruby yelped.

She quickly yanked her arm free, as though his touch had burned her. Iniabi looked at the frightened girl with a mixture of confusion and sympathy on his face. Ruby simply stood trembling, her red pupils contracted into tiny pinpricks. She swallowed and took a deep breath to calm herself. Eventually, she straightened herself as best as she could, staring at the ground as she clutched her wrist.

"I'm sorry." Ruby said softly.

"N-No, don't apologize." Iniabi said.

He sighed softly, scratching the back of his head. He mentally cursed himself for being so forceful with the girl. She was clearly on edge.

"Listen, um... would you like to sit down?" Iniabi asked.

Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but once again, nothing came out. She bit her lip and looked off to the side in consideration.

"I-I, ah.." Ruby started to replied.

The woman forced herself to look up at the Exalt. Her refusal died on her lips as her gaze met his green eyes. So kind and accepting. He wasn't telling her to sit down, but was inviting her. Ruby took a deep breath and forced down her doubts.

"Y-Yes. Thank you." Ruby replied.

A small smile appeared on Iniabi's face and he stepped aside to let her into a certain room. Ruby hesitated a brief moment, taking one last look over her shoulder, before taking a step inside. The first thing that struck Ruby was just how spacious the room was. As she glanced around the room, wringing her hands, she couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. The high ceiling dwarfed her, but the room was well-lit, the walls a pleasant beige color, the furnishings simple yet inviting. It was a far cry from a more lavishly-decorated theme she had been expecting to see in a castle. For furniture, the room held a dark brown L-shaped sofa that looked quite soft. Sitting before that was a glass-topped coffee table that held a valuable-looking vase on it, and on the opposite wall was a series of cabinets.

"So, uh... welcome." Iniabi greeted, snapping the girl out of her daze.

Ruby jumped slightly, as though she had forgotten he was there.

"This room isn't much, but if common guests come over, I wanted to have a more simpler room that they'd feel comfortable with." Iniabi explained.

Ruby smiled.

"N-No... it's really nice. I, um... I'm sorry about just showing up like this." Ruby said.

"No worries. The castle's always open to guests." Iniabi said, waving his hand dismissively.

_"Iniabi?"_ a voice asked from the hallway.

A moment later, Cynthia and Idoun entered the room. While Idoun hadn't looked like she'd aged in the slightest since marrying Iniabi, Cynthia had grown older, but still looked lively for being in her mid-thirties. She was still strikingly pretty, her skin near-flawless, her body having taken much after her mother. Ruby immediately bowed.

"M-Milady Cynthia. M-Milady I-Idoun." Ruby greeted nervously.

Cynthia giggled and pulled Ruby to her feet.

"No need for that, honey. Just call me Queen Cynthia. No need for "Milady", alright?" Cynthia asked gently.

Ruby nodded shakily. Meanwhile, Idoun's eyes were narrowed at the girl. She turned to Iniabi.

"Iniabi? Might I see you and Cynthia in the hallway please?" Idoun asked.

Iniabi nodded and excused himself to Ruby. He, Cynthia, and Idoun left the room. Ruby just watched in silent confusion, her heart pounding slightly.

* * *

Once out in the hallway, Idoun narrowed her eyes at Iniabi.

"So... what's going on, Iniabi? Who's that?" Idoun asked calmly.

"Her name is Ruby. She showed up here about a few minutes ago, needing to speak with me on something. About what, I... I don't know. I'm going to find out. Just... if either of you two talk to her, please, be nice to her. She's... a bit on edge." Iniabi replied.

Idoun raised an eyebrow before taking a glance at the girl. Thankfully, she was looking down at the ground, so she didn't seem to notice the dragon queen. She noticed the tense posture, the awkward shuffling, and the occasional twitch of her eye. Quite frankly, 'on edge' was a huge understatement. Cynthia noticed it too, and the two rival wives turned back to Iniabi.

"Iniabi, is there... something wrong with her?" Cynthia asked.

Iniabi opened his mouth to respond, but in truth, he had no idea. Really, he didn't know much about the girl at all.

"Look, just let me worry about it, okay?" Iniabi asked.

He gave a reassuring smile.

"Now, come on. I'll introduce you." Iniabi rodered.

Idoun sucked her teeth in consideration, but then let out a small sigh.

"Fine. But I swear, if you just brought a thief into the palace..." Idoun started to say.

"Idoun, she's not a thief." Iniabi said.

Taking her and Cynthia by the hand, he led his two wives back into the room.

"Ruby?" Iniabi asked.

"I DIDN'T TOUCH ANYTHING!" Ruby yelped.

She jumped back from the picture she'd been examining, only to back into the vase on the table, making it wobble. She discretely grabbed it to steady it, before tucking her hands behind her back and giving a sheepish grin. Iniabi shared an aside glance with Cynthia and Idoun, before clearing his throat.

"R-Right... well, I wanted to introduce you to my wives." Iniabi introduced.

"Idoun." Idoun greeted, forcing a smile as she extended her hand in greeting.

Ruby looked at the outstretched hand as though it were some sort of space alien. Her eyes flicked from Idoun's hand to her face, then back to her hand, then to her face once more before finally settling on her hand. Slowly and awkwardly, Ruby raised a trembling hand and lightly grasped the ends of the Manakete's fingers, giving her hand what could only charitably be referred to as a shake.

"R-Ruby. Call me... Ruby." Ruby mumbled.

Idoun cocked an eyebrow and Ruby quickly withdrew her hand.

"O-Or not! Call me whatever you want!" Ruby said with a nervous forced laugh.

"Oooookay." Idoun murmured under her breath.

Iniabi elbowed her slightly. Idoun coughed, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"W-Well, it's nice to meet you, Ruby." Idoun greeted.

Cynthia smiled at Ruby.

"And I'm Cynthia. You already know me." Ruby greeted.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I do." Ruby said, scratching her cheek.

Cynthia took a moment to examine the young woman standing before her. It really was uncanny... were she to clean herself up a bit, she would nearly be a dead ringer for... no, that couldn't be. She hadn't been around in Ylisstol or Ylisse for many years, and she was already an adult two decades earlier. Surely, this couldn't be her child or relative, right?

"Anyway... I was just about to have some tea put on. Would you like some?" Idoun asked.

Ruby seemed to perk up a bit at that. She did like tea, since it helped her calm her nerves.

"Do you... have chamomile?" Ruby asked.

"Of course. Do you take honey or sugar?" Idoun asked.

"Oh, um... honey, please. Sugar makes me jittery." Ruby replied.

Idoun nodded.

"Alright, I'll go get a servant to prepare the tea and be back in a bit. Make yourself at home, Ruby." Idoun said with a smirk.

She left the room. Iniabi chuckled slightly.

"Sorry about that. Idoun can be a bit rough around the edges. She had a hard life before she became a Queen of Ylisse, but she means well." Iniabi said.

"N-No no... she's nice." Ruby said, with a small genuine smile on her face.

"So... would you like to sit down?" Cynthia asked, gesturing towards the couch.

Ruby looked over at the couch for several seconds, and then back to the Exalt and Queen with a somewhat uncertain expression on her face.

"Is... is that alright?" Ruby asked as she fiddled with the left strap of her dress.

"Well, yeah. Like Idoun said, make yourself at home." Iniabi replied.

For some reason, the Exalt's kind smile calmed Ruby somewhat. She gave a small nod and shuffled around to the front of the couch. To her delight, she found that the couch was exactly as soft and comfortable as it looked. The moment her rear end touched the cushion, she couldn't help but give a blissful sigh and settle back against it, sprawling out her revealing body, and bare legs and feet slightly. She knew it was rude to get so comfortable in a castle, but she was tired. Iniabi and Cynthia made sure to sit on the opposite end of the couch, with Cynthia cuddling against Iniabi by reclining on his chest, so as not to disturb her. It was clear that she didn't like to be too close to others, let alone be touched. For some time, none of the three said anything, and Iniabi took a moment to study the girl. He was absolutely perplexed as to what have possibly brought her here, of all places. Ruby seemed like a nice girl, and a dancer from what her attire suggested due to his memories of Olivia before her retirement as a dancer, but there were definitely some problems with her. She seemed afraid of her own shadow and had probably never left her village, which could be Naga knew where.

And yet... for some reason, Ruby had come here.

Cynthia had the same thoughts as her husband. The two shared a brief look, before facing Ruby.

"So, Ruby... how's your family?" Cynthia asked.

"Oh, it's... just been me and my Mom. But she... she's good." Ruby replied.

Iniabi and Cynthia could see the girl's relaxed expression fade slightly as soon as Cynthia had mentioned family. The two could see her hand tense up slightly before releasing, her bare legs beginning to bounce anxiously. Those were little things that most wouldn't take note of, but Iniabi's sharp-honed senses from his heritage, combined with his and Cynthia's line of work, had made them both incredibly perceptive of small details. Iniabi let out a small sigh, leaning forward and folding his hands together between his knees.

"Ruby... your mother... doesn't know you're here, does she?" Iniabi asked.

Ruby didn't even need to speak for his suspicions to be confirmed. Her expression said enough. She looked downcast, biting her lip so hard that Iniabi could both swear that she would draw blood. Her hands were balled tightly into fists in her lap, and it looked like her shoulders were trembling.

"Ruby, look. You don't need to tell me anything you don't want to. But I'd like to help you if I can." Iniabi said in a quiet gentle tone.

Ruby hesitated for a few moments, running her tongue across her dry lips.

"I, um..." Ruby choked out, barely louder than a whisper.

She forced herself to look up, her red eyes meeting Iniabi's green and Cynthia's gray.

"I had to get away. At... at least for a little bit." Ruby said.

The young woman shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm... I'm sorry I just turned up like this." Ruby said.

Cynthia pursed her lips, giving a small nod of understanding.

"You don't need to apologize. But, if you don't mind me asking... why here?" Cynthia asked.

Ruby tensed up again and looked away, her face scrunching up slightly in regret.

"I-I can go..." Ruby started to reply.

Cynthia sighed.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. We don't mind you being here, but... why here of all places? Don't you have any family? Older siblings? Relatives? Friends? Anyone?" Cynthia asked.

Ruby frowned, nervously rubbing at her arm.

"I... don't have anyone. And... I needed to go somewhere Mom wouldn't look for me." Ruby replied simply.

Before Iniabi and Cynthia could press them further, Ruby glanced up at the entrance to the room, raising her eyebrows slightly in surprise. The two followed her gaze to see a young girl peeking out from behind the corner. Iniabi smiled warmly.

"Iona! Come here for a second, will you?" Iniabi asked.

Iona gave a small sheepish nod and slowly made her way over, before running to her father's side. She seemed to be hiding behind the armrest slightly as she stared at the unfamiliar woman.

"Ruby, this is my and Idoun's daughter, Iona. Iona, this is Ruby." Iniabi introduced.

Ruby face seemed to light up slightly. She looked at the younger girl, smiling sweetly.

"Hello, Iona. It's nice to meet you." Ruby greeted.

"H-Hello." Iona greeted quietly, tucking herself a little further behind her father.

The resemblance to Idoun was easy to see. She looked like a child version of her mother, with some obvious distinctions. She had her mother's lilac purple hair color in a similar hairstyle, and had both her and her father's light skin. Like her mother, Idoun was also heterochromic, but her eye colors were inverted and slightly different from her mother. Her left eye was light red, while her right eye was green like her mother's left eye, except her shade of green was darker, like her father's. Ruby couldn't see her ears because they were covered by two small sheets of cloth that hung down her hair, but she didn't press the child on the matter. On her body was a small light purple dress, with a small light purple cloak and hood over it. Two golden bracelets adorned her wrists, while some sort of glowing blue stone she had never seen before was attached to a necklace hung from her neck. And like Ruby noticed with Idoun and herself, Iona didn't have any footwear on, her small bare feet sinking into the carpeted floor.

"You're very cute." Ruby said.

Iniabi and Cynthia were surprised at the complete shift in demeanor. Her nervousness seemed to all but disappear, and the smile on her face was steady and unwavering. Iona, however, withdrew further, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

"T-T-Thank you." Iona whispered.

She turned to her father and tugged his sleeve.

"Where's Mama?" Iona asked.

"Most likely in the kitchen. She said she was going to..." Iniabi started to reply.

Before he could finish, the half-dragon girl had already dashed off. Iniabi could only give a small laugh.

"Well, that's Iona. She's a bit shy, unlike her little brother and older siblings." Iniabi said.

Ruby giggled.

"That's okay. She's adorable. How, um... how old is she?" Ruby asked.

"Seven." Iniabi replied.

Cynthia smiled at Ruby.

"You like kids, huh?" Cynthia asked.

"I do. I always used to want a little brother or sister, but..." Ruby started to reply.

She trailed off, her expression growing somewhat wistful. Iniabi looked at the dancer with a sympathetic expression.

"I'm sorry. Your home life... must have been lonely." Iniabi said.

Ruby nodded slowly, fiddling with her right strap a bit. Iniabi thought he caught a glimpse of the Exalted Brand on her right breast, but pushed the thought away due to there being no possible way she could be part of the Exalted bloodline.

"Mom... works a lot. B-But... she tries. She really does." Ruby said.

She bit her lip and swallowed.

"It's just... I-I don't make it easy for her, you know." Ruby said.

"What do you..." Cynthia started to ask.

Just then, Idoun returned to the room, with a servant accompanying her and carrying a tray. Two steaming cups of tea sat upon it, as well as a small plate of biscotti. Granted, chamomile tea wasn't really the best accompaniment for biscotti, but Idoun had figured the girl could use something to eat, so when having the servant prepare the tea, she requested for the biscotti to be included as well. The servant set the tray down on the coffee table and left.

"Here you go. Careful... it's still hot." Idoun said.

"T-Thank you, Queen Idoun." Ruby said.

Idoun smiled and nodded at her.

"Anyway, I need to get the castle staff started on dinner. Is it safe to say you'll be joining us, Ruby?" Idoun asked.

"Um..." Ruby murmured.

She glanced at her Cynthia in uncertainty. The white haired woman gave her a warm smile in return.

"She will." Cynthia replied.

"I-If it's not too much trouble, that is." Ruby added, wringing her hands slightly.

Idoun simply nodded.

"It's not. I'll see you then, okay?" Idoun asked.

She exchanged a brief glance with Cynthia before leaving the room again, her expression hard to read even for her or Iniabi. Ruby took one of the cups, blowing on it a few times before taking a small sip. It was good, with just the right amount of honey to not overpower the chamomile. She shut her eyes and let out a small sigh as the warmth spread through her body, comforting her somewhat. For some time, there was silence between the three, though not as tense as it had been before. In fact, Ruby felt strangely peaceful, even in such unfamiliar surroundings. Perhaps more peaceful than her own home.

"Um... Exalt Iniabi? Queen Cynthia?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah?" Iniabi asked.

"I, uh... thank you. For... for putting up with me, I mean." Ruby replied.

Cynthia smiled softly.

"You don't need to thank me or my husband for anything." Cynthia said.

Ruby shook her head.

"I do. I know I'm kind of... you know... a mess." Ruby said.

She bit her lip slightly and averted her eyes.

"Sorry. I just needed to be in my right mind today." Ruby said.

Iniabi drummed his fingers against his knees in thought. He'd been trying not to press the girl too hard, but now she seemed to be more receptive. He glanced at Cynthia, who motioned to Ruby with her head and nodded at him. She felt the same as he did.

"Why did you need to leave?" Iniabi asked.

Ruby hesitated a moment, her eyes focused on nothing in particular.

"I... love my mother. But sometimes she's just... she..." Ruby started to reply.

The dancer trailed off.

"Does she, um... does she hit you?" Iniabi asked.

Ruby's eyes shot wide open.

"NO! I-I mean... no... no, not any..." Ruby started to reply, louder than she had intended.

The redhead caught herself before finishing that thought. She hunkered down slightly, suddenly looking very small.

"She hasn't. She doesn't. She... she's good to me." Ruby replied.

Iniabi and Cynthia were both far from convinced. Iniabi looked at the girl with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, trying to read her expression, but she wouldn't look at him or Cynthia. He remembered when he'd grasped her wrist earlier, the way she'd panicked at even the slightest touch, and the look of utter fear in her eyes. Of course, he couldn't be sure, but it was definitely troubling. He might not have known the girl, but she was someone in need of help. Cynthia leaned in and whispered something inaudible to Ruby in Iniabi's ear. The dark blue haired man nodded, and he and Cynthia stood up.

"Sit tight, Ruby. We... have to take care of something real quick." Iniabi ordered.

"O-Oh... um, alright." Ruby muttered.


	2. Dinner Conversation

**Chapter 2: Dinner Conversation**

"And when were you planning to discuss this with me at any point?" Idoun asked.

Iniabi sighed.

"Idoun, she just needs a place to stay for a few days, at least. We have multiple rooms she can..." Iniabi started to reply.

"What do you mean 'at least'? Iniabi, Cynthia, we know nothing about this girl! This is different from when I arrived in Ylisstol. You at least knew who I was and that I wouldn't do anything bad. I mean, you still don't even know why she's here!" Idoun said.

"She's in trouble, Idoun. That's enough for me." Iniabi said.

Idoun just clicked her tongue in frustration.

"Honey, look... you see how she is. I think something bad has been going on, and I'm not just going to turn my back on her. Besides, I've been talking to her. She's a good person. She's just a little... mixed up right now." Iniabi said.

Idoun sighed and nodded at her husband and rival wife.

"Alright, fine. Fine. She can stay, for now. But you'd better get to the bottom of this soon, Iniabi. Adult or not, she ran away from home." Idoun said, poking Iniabi in the chest for emphasis.

"I know. Don't worry, I'll take care of it." Iniabi said.

He gave his wife a deep kiss, flustering the former Demon Dragon somewhat. Idoun then coughed and quickly turned around.

"A-Alright... now go on, before I change my mind." Idoun ordered.

Iniabi and Cynthia did so and returned to the other room.

"Hey, Ru..." Iniabi started to ask.

He cut himself short. Ruby laid slumped over on the couch, snoring softly with her head resting on her arm. A small chuckle escaped Cynthia's lips as she took a blanket that was draped over the back of the sofa and carefully covered the sleeping girl with it. She fidgeted slightly, but thankfully did not wake up. She then excused herself to Iniabi and left the room. Meanwhile, Iniabi couldn't help but linger for a bit to watch Ruby sleep peacefully. It was hard to believe this was the same girl that had shown up at the castle gate a nervous wreck. He'd admittedly been a bit uncertain of her at first, but after talking to her for a bit, there was no denying that she was a sweet person.

That said, she was clearly unstable. In any case, something was very wrong.

Iniabi's brow furrowed as he looked down at the redhead's face. Despite her haggard appearance, she definitely was a pretty girl. But what was a bit unusual was the strange feeling that she gave him. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on, or he could explain. It was as though he knew her better than he actually did, or, rather, that he should. What he did understand, however, was that for whatever reason, he wanted to protect this girl. Iniabi wasn't sure what compelled him to do so, but he found himself reaching out and gently stroking the sleeping girl's hair. In her sleep, Ruby shifted slightly before a faint smile crossed her face.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, dinner in the castle dining room was something of an awkward affair that night. Iona was completely silent, the presence of a stranger clearly making her uncomfortable. Meanwhile, it took Ruby over ten minutes to even begin eating, as she'd found it necessary to separate every component of the dish into it's own corner of the plate. As much as Iniabi would have liked to ask her why she did that, he had a feeling she wouldn't have much of an answer for him. In any case, her face lit up upon taking the first bite, so she clearly enjoyed it.

In addition to the five, they had also been joined by Iniabi's other two wives, Kjelle and Severa, who had both been out in Ylisstol when Ruby had arrived and thus hadn't been there to talk to her. However, they'd been brought up to date on the girl and understood her being there. Like their rival wives, they also were Queens of Ylisse, and also had specific positions they oversaw to in daily castle life. Kjelle was Ylisse's new knight captain after Frederick had stepped down. Along with her queenly duties, her job was to keep the peace and train new recruits. Meanwhile, Severa was the new Commander of the Pegasus Knights after Cordelia had retired, training new recruits and seeing to conflicts with them.

They were also joined by Iona's younger twin brother, Adrian, who Idoun had also given Iniabi, her older half-siblings, Marth and Sayvra, who Cynthia had bore to Iniabi, her younger half-brothers Wilhelm and Maynard, who Kjelle had bore Iniabi, and her younger half-sister Valerie, who Severa had bore to Iniabi. Iona's older step-sister, Caledori, was also with them. Severa had Caeldori with her previous husband Subaki, a former retainer to a foreign princess named Sakura, but he had died shortly after moving to Ylisse with Severa, leaving her and Caeldori alone. Fortunately, Severa had remarried to Iniabi, who had accepted Caeldori as his daughter even though she was another man's child.

Adrian was different from his twin, in different ways. He was smaller than Iona, but not weak or sickly. He also had a similar appearance to both their parents, with some distinctions. Instead of having his mother's lilac purple hair color like his sister did, he had Iniabi's dark blue hair color, which was short and scruffy, but had both his and his mother's light skin. Unlike his mother, he wasn't heterochromic, but both his eyes were red like one of his mother's eyes. The Exalted Brand appeared promptly on his forehead like his great-grandaunt's had been, an inheritance from his father, while his ears were sharply pointed, an inheritance from his mother. On his body, he wore a light red tunic, dark purple pants, and brown sandals, with a purple cloak that he hung on his body like a cape. But like his sister, he also had the same kind of stone that she had hung from his neck. Meanwhile, Marth was similar to his little half-sister, both being more quiet and reserved, as well as both loving to read, but her other half-siblings and step-sister were much different as well. Ruby hadn't known them for long, but already, she could make out certain things about them. Caeldori constantly sought to better herself as both a human being, a Pegasus Knight like her mother and maternal grandmother Cordelia, and a Princess of Ylisse, and, to Ruby's shock, had been blessed with stunningly beautiful features and intelligence. Sayvra was energetic like her mother and, like her, her step-sister, and her maternal grandmother, Sumia, was also a Pegasus Knight, but was also kind and caring to her brother, half-siblings, and step-sister. Wilhelm and Maynard were still pretty young, but already, both boys spoke of being great knights like their mother and maternal grandparents, which Ruby noticed made Kjelle smile supportively at her sons. Wilhelm looked startlingly similar to Kjelle, having inherited her dark olive green hair color and gray eyes, while Maynard, unlike his parents, had red hair and red eyes, which Kjelle had explained had been a recessive gene passed down from her mother, Sully. And Valerie, unlike her mother, had her father's dark blue hair instead of her mother's dark blonde hair, rearranged into twin braids, but had her brown eyes. And even then, she seemed to be a total sweetheart and was especially close to her older half-sister Caeldori. And like Adrian, the Exalted Brand was on all of the children, with the obvious exception being Caeldori.

"So, Ruby... are you in school?" Kjelle asked.

Ruby looked up from her plate.

"Huh? O-Oh... no. I was, but... not anymore." Ruby replied, looking slightly downcast.

"So... what do you do, then?" Kjelle asked.

"I... I like games. And... books and stuff. And... I like to dance and write." Ruby replied, a small smile on her face.

"Oh, you're a dancer and writer?" Cynthia asked.

Ruby gave a nervous laugh.

"W-Well, I don't know if I'd say that. I... I just do them for fun." Ruby replied in a stammer.

"Everyone starts somewhere. I used to write for fun." Caeldori said.

"You write?" Ruby asked, perking up slightly.

Severa smirked slightly.

"She's a professional writer. For novels." Severa replied.

Ruby simply stared at the fellow redhead in silence for a few moments. Then, her pupils nearly doubled in size, her eyes sparkling in awe.

"That's... that's so cool." Ruby said.

Caeldori gave a humble laugh.

"Well... Mother gives me too much credit. I just write whatever comes to mind. It's the illustrators that..." Caeldori started to say.

Ruby gasped, suddenly leaning forward excitedly.

"N-No! Writers are really really important! Th-The illustrators help portray the story, but the writers give it life! It's awesome! You're..." Ruby started to say.

The girl suddenly clammed up, her face going bright red as she shrank back in her seat.

"S-Sorry. I, um... I like stories." Ruby said.

Iniabi, Cynthia, and Idoun simply exchanged an aside glace. Quite frankly, that was the most animated the girl had been all night. Caeldori chuckled softly.

"I can't blame you. I enjoy writing." Caeldori said.

"I'm done. Can I go now?" Iona asked suddenly, the first words she had spoken the entire meal.

Iniabi looked at Idoun, who simply shrugged in response.

"Sure, Iona. You can go." Iniabi replied.

Iona gave a small nod and hopped down from her chair, silently hurrying out of the room. Iniabi sighed softly and turned towards Ruby.

"Sorry. Like I said... shy." Iniabi said.

"It's... it's okay. I am, too. She, um... she looks a lot like you. Both of you, I mean." Ruby said.

Idoun sighed.

"Yeah, but she takes too much after me. That girl needs to toughen up a bit or she's never gonna survive out there." Idoun said.

Severa sighed.

"Give her time, Idoun." Severa said.

Idoun huffed.

"Just saying. Iniabi coddles her too much. You know how kids are... she's going to get bullied, I'm telling you." Idoun said.

Marth looked up at Ruby and noticed the girl staring at them with a half-lidded wistful expression. The boy shook Ruby's shoulder.

"Uh... Ruby?" Marth asked.

Ruby suddenly shot up straight and stared down at her lap, her face turning bright red. She bit her lip slightly.

"S-Sorry... I was just thinking... you and Iona... and the others... you're lucky. It… must be nice." Ruby replied.

Iniabi expression grew sympathetic. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly, a servant walked up to him and whispered into his ear. Iniabi sighed, getting to his feet.

"I have to speak to someone in the throne room. I'll be back in a second." Inaibi said.

As the Exalt left the room, Kjelle noticed that Ruby had begun rapidly tapping her finger against the table, an anxious look crossing her face.

"Ruby? Is everything alright?" Kjelle asked.

"Y-Yeah... yeah, I'm fine." Ruby replied quietly.

* * *

Iniabi grumbled under his breath as he approached the throne room. It was 8:30. Apart from servants, who would be disrupting them at this hour? Iniabi entered the desired room.

"Gre..." Iniabi started to greet.

"Hello, Exalt Iniabi." a voice greeted.

Iniabi's heart plummeted into his stomach. Even after all these years after she had quit her job as a palace maid, he could still recognize her. There she was, standing before him with her arms crossed over her chest, her lips pursed tightly in irritation, her red eyes fixed directly on him in a cold glare. Her red hair, once arranged in a short bob, was now pulled back into a neat ponytail. She was smartly dressed in a white blouse, a straight black skirt that stopped a few inches above her knees, and black stockings ending in a pair of expensive-looking black heels. Even though she was pushing forty two, she was still a very attractive woman. Clearly, she took very good care of herself. And yet, all of that was completely negated by the icy no-nonsense demeanor that seemed to radiate from her very being.

"M-Miss Cadence? H-How long has it..." Iniabi started to ask.

Cadence scoffed, pushing her way past him through the entryway he had just come in from.

"Shut it, boy. Where is she?" Cadence asked irritably.

Iniabi's eyes widened.

"Ruby? Ruby's your daughter?" Iniabi asked.

"Yes. Now, I'm not going to ask again. Where is she?" Cadence asked plainly.

"Iniabi? Who is..." a voice started to ask.

Cynthia walked up to them and her eyes widened at the sight of Cadence.

"You... aren't you that one maid that quit years ago?" Cynthia asked in shock.

Cadence gave her a curt nod.

"Queen Cynthia. You look well." Cadence replied.

She turned back to Iniabi with a look in her eyes that the dark blue haired man couldn't quite place.

"Miss Cadence, listen..." Iniabi started to say.

"Save it, boy. Where..." Cadence started to ask.

She spotted her daughter in the dining room, which just so happened to be located not far from the throne room.

"Ah, there you are." Cadence said.

"M-Mom?" Ruby asked in shock.

She shrunk back, a low whine escaping her throat. Cadence strode into the room, making her daughter back up against the table.

"I am very disappointed in you, Ruby." Cadence replied in a stern harsh tone.

The younger redhead hunkered down even further. Kjelle winced from her seat at the table. She had only met Cadence once years earlier, when Stahl had taken her to the palace to take care of something, and from what she remembered, this was a far cry from the exterior she had exhibited as a maid. Back then, she was kind, but also dedicated to serving the Exalted family, so she didn't care for any nonsense. But now, she seemed downright domineering and icy.

"What on earth were you thinking? Do you have any idea how worried I've been? Gods, look at you!" Cadence asked.

"I-I... I, um..." Ruby stammered, finding herself unable to look her mother in the eye.

Her hands gripped the lip of the table so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"Miss Cadence, please..." Iniabi started to say.

"I said save it, boy!" Cadence snapped.

She turned back to the frightened girl before her.

"Grab your things, Ruby. We're leaving. And we are going to have a very long talk when we get home." Cadence growled.

"I... I..." Ruby whimpered.

Even without looking at her, she could feel her mother's icy glare piercing right through her soul. She swallowed, clenching her teeth.

"No." Ruby said.

Cadence's brow furrowed.

"Excuse me?" Cadence asked angrily.

Ruby forced herself to meet her mother's gaze.

"N-No. I'm not... I'm not going." Ruby replied.

Cadence narrowed her eyes.

"You don't have a choice in the matter." Cadence hissed.

"I'm not going! I don't want to!" Ruby shouted.

"It doesn't matter if you want to or not, Ruby. We are leaving! End of discussion." Cadence said.

"NO!" Ruby yelled.

"Miss Cadence..." Idoun started to say.

"Stay out of it, dragon girl!" Cadence shouted.

Severa started to bolt from her seat, but Idoun put a firm grasp on her shoulder, shaking her head. There was hurt in her green and pink eyes, but she didn't openly show her pain. Cadence strode towards her daughter and grabbed her roughly by the arm.

"We. Are. Leaving!" Cadence growled.

Ruby froze, her breaths becoming short and ragged. She let out a weak shuddering whimper as tears began to pool in her eyes.

"L-Let go... LET GO!" Ruby shrieked, struggling in vain against her mother's grip.

She desperately looked to Iniabi, the panic evident on her face, silently begging him to save her.

"Let her go!" Iniabi roared.

He grabbed the older woman by the wrist and pulling her off of Ruby. She gasped as he did. Whether from shock or pain, he did not know, but quite frankly, he didn't care. Just then, a few castle guards rushed into the dining room, having heard the commotion and thought there was a problem. Cynthia held out her arms and shook her head at them, silently ordering them to stand down. Iniabi was so angry at Cadence that he didn't notice them. He glared at the redheaded woman with fury in his eyes, his teeth clenched together in anger. Cadence returned his glare for a brief moment, before shrinking down under his gaze. This was no longer the little boy she had known. He seemed to tower above her now, dominant and unyielding.

"If you so much as lay a single finger on her, I swear to Naga I will lay you right out myself." Iniabi snarled.

"This doesn't concern you, boy. Stay out of it!" Cadence said in as assertive of a tone as she could muster.

"I will not stay out of it." Iniabi spat.

His grip on the older woman's wrist tightened and made her wince.

"Y-You're hurting me." Cadence whimpered.

"Like you hurt her?" Iniabi asked bitterly.

Any resolve left in Cadence faded away in an instant. Her face fell, her brow furrowing slightly.

"I... I don't..." Cadence started to reply shakily.

"Y-Your Majesty... please..." Ruby whimpered.

"It's alright, Ruby. It's going to be okay. Just... give us a bit, okay?" Iniabi asked, his tone even and gentle.

Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. She gave a small almost imperceptible nod, before shakily sitting back down in her seat. Iniabi fixed his harsh gaze back on Cadence, before letting go of her wrist.

"You and I need to talk." Iniabi said.

Cadence frowned, rubbing her sore wrist.

"Yes. Yes, I suppose we do." Cadence murmured.


	3. A Horrifying Truth

**Chapter 3: A Horrifying Truth**

Iniabi personally escorted Cadence to the castle gardens, where the two were sure to not be disturbed, as the Exalt had ordered for no one to bother him until he came back out. The night air was crisp, yet not uncomfortably so. There was an uncomfortable silence as Iniabi and the ex-maid sat at on a raised stone surface, both faced straight ahead. Out of the corner of his eye, Iniabi could see that Cadence was still rubbing her wrist. He let out a small sigh, mentally cursing himself for his concern.

"Sorry." Iniabi grumbled.

"It's... fine." Cadence said curtly.

There were several moments of silence.

"You have no right trying to keep her from me." Cadence muttered.

"Yes, I do." Iniabi in a serious tone.

"She's MY daughter!" Cadence growled.

"She's an adult! If she doesn't want to leave, you can't force her!" Iniabi said.

Cadence scoffed.

"Yes, I can. As I'm sure you've noticed, Ruby is a very... troubled girl. She can't make her own decisions." Cadence said.

Iniabi frowned, grasping his hands together between his knees. There was no doubt that Ruby was a bit... uneven. But even so, he had to know something.

"Miss... no... Cadence, why does she flinch?" Iniabi asked.

A deep frown crossed Cadence's face.

"As I said… Ruby is very troubled..." Cadence started to reply.

Iniabi pounded on the stone slab beside him in anger.

"I don't care about that! You already told me that! Why does she flinch?" Iniabi asked angrily.

Cadence visibly tensed up, but he pressed on.

"If you've been hitting her..." Iniabi started to say.

"I haven't! Not... not anymore." Cadence said, barely above a whisper.

Iniabi's eyes narrowed as he glared at the woman.

"Explain." Iniabi ordered.

Cadence took a deep breath, shutting her eyes.

"I... I used to drink. Sometimes... I would lash out." Cadence admitted.

"You..." Iniabi started to say.

"I stopped! That was ages ago. I... haven't had a drop of alcohol in over nine years." Cadence insisted.

"You think that makes it better?" Iniabi asked.

Cadence simply bit her lip, shaking her head sadly.

"No... no, of course not. I can never excuse myself for what I did. But I swear to you, I haven't laid a hand on her since. I love her, regardless of what you may think." Cadence replied.

Iniabi sucked his teeth in thought. He had to admit, she did sound sincere. She'd been strict and forceful with her daughter, but he wouldn't go so far as to say she'd actively hurt her. Cadence's face contorted in pain and she hunched forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"I..." Cadence started to say.

Her voice caught in her throat, and she took a moment to calm herself.

"Since then, I've done all I can to protect her. I know I can be overbearing, but... she just can't function on her own. I tried, Iniabi." Cadence said.

She looked to the Exalt. Iniabi couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy as he noticed the tears in her eyes.

"I tried. I tried to get her help, I tried to bring her out of her shell. I've done everything I could to help her. But she... she just couldn't." Cadence said.

Iniabi drummed his fingers against the stone slab next to him in thought.

"I've... been talking to her, Cadence. I don't think she's broken. I think she can get better. I think she wants to get better." Iniabi said.

Cadence sighed.

"Of course she wants to, Iniabi. But it's not that easy. Those kinds of scars... they don't go away." Cadence said.

Cadence looked at the man with an expression that he couldn't quite place, as though she was searching his eyes for something. After a moment, she turned away with her hand clenched over her mouth. Iniabi chewed his lip, averting her eyes. There was still something about all of this that wasn't clear.

"Why did she run away, then?" Iniabi asked.

Cadence wiped the tears from her eyes.

"We had a disagreement. I was offered a... a position overseas. Doing management work in Jugdral. But, as you can imagine, Ruby... she's not fond of the idea. So we had a bit of an... exchange, as it were." Cadence replied.

"Can you blame her? Do you really expect her to be okay with just... leaving the continent?" Iniabi asked unamusedly.

"Well, what am I supposed to do, boy? I have to think of my career, too! And what more can I do for her here?" Cadence asked angrily.

Iniabi opened his mouth to retort, but Cadence continued.

"She can't be on her own, Iniabi. She needs to be with me. If things work out, she could even be happy there." Cadence said.

"You really think that?" Iniabi asked in an accusatory tone.

"Listen... this is a lucrative position. Highly lucrative. She won't want for anything. She can only be happier, Iniabi. There's no other option." Cadence said.

Iniabi sighed, resting his face in his palm.

"It's not right. You can't just... force her to leave like that, Cadence. She's not a child. She's a woman." Iniabi muttered quietly.

Cadence scoffed, looking away from the Exalt.

"Stop acting like you know her." Cadence growled.

"Well, maybe I could have, if you hadn't shut me out!" Iniabi snapped.

Cadence winced slightly.

"I just... I don't get you, Cadence! What happened to us? What happened to you and everyone else here? You had a job in one of the most important places on the continent! You were well respected! And we... we were really close for a prince and a maid! I never told you this, but I even had a crush on you. What did I ever do to make you hate me?" Iniabi asked angrily.

For some time, Cadence didn't answer. She kept her eyes firmly planted in the distance, her hands trembling slightly in her lap.

"I... I never hated you, Prince." Cadence replied quietly.

* * *

Ruby sat outside on a step in the night air, nervously wringing her hands. Quite frankly, she didn't know what Iniabi hoped to gain from talking to her mother. She knew that no matter what, she would be forced to leave.

Still, though, the way the very Exalt himself had stood up for her... it made her happy. Nobody had ever stood up for her like that. She was worried that he may attack her mother. She didn't want him to do that, but the fact that he would have been willing to for her sake... made her feel something she hadn't felt in years.

Safe.

Ruby loved her mother, she really did. She knew that everything her mother did was for her sake. Her mother gave her so much, provided her with a roof over her head, given her almost everything she ever wanted... but leaving her home... moving to another continent... that was something Ruby couldn't bear. She barely even managed as it was. She could barely even walk to the local shops in her village without psyching herself up for several minutes beforehand. As much as she'd love to visit another country someday, she couldn't live anywhere except the continent that she was born on.

"You alright?" a voice asked.

Ruby jumped as Kjelle's voice snapped her from her thoughts. She looked up to see the Queen walk up to her. She didn't have on her usual armor at the moment, as she was getting it cleaned for the night. Instead, she wore a dark purple tanktop, her defined abs and muscles from years as a knight showing through the fabric, and black pants, her bare feet left exposed without footwear on. The brunette herself knew it wasn't something befitting her station, but honestly, she didn't care and was too tired to care at the moment. However, even in her casual outfit, the woman still had her usual lance strapped on her back. The brunette wore a sympathetic frown as she looked at the troubled girl before her. Ruby took a deep breath to calm herself down before answering.

"As... as well as I could be, I guess, Queen Kjelle." Ruby replied.

Kjelle simply nodded in understanding.

"Look, let me tell you something about my husband." Kjelle said.

She took a seat on the step beside the younger girl. Ruby shifted over slightly.

"There's nothing that matters to him as much as family or people in need. It's something he picked up from his grandfather, the previous Exalt, Chrom, and his grandmother, the previous Queen, Robin. I guarantee you that he's doing everything he can to fight for your sake." Kjelle explained calmly.

Ruby simply bit her lip and gave a small nod. Kjelle smirked mischievously.

"Hey... you wanna listen in on them?" Kjelle asked.

"Huh?" Ruby asked.

She hunkered down slightly, sheepishly twiddling her thumbs.

"I-I, uh... I don't think we should..." Ruby started to reply.

"Ah, lighten up." Kjelle said.

She gave the dancer girl a light slap on the back. Ruby tensed up from how firm and strong it had been, even when the older woman had made sure to be as gentle as possible, but managed to keep from crying out. The Queen seemed nice enough, after all. Ruby herself had heard stories of her chivalry and experiences as a knight, before becoming one of Iniabi's wives and a Queen of Ylisse.

"C'mon. There's a window we could hear them through." Kjelle said.

Ruby chewed her lip and looked off to the side. In truth, she was curious. She was already in hot water with her mother, after all. It's not like it could get any worse.

"A-Alright." Ruby muttered under her breath.

"C'mon, then. Follow me." Kjelle ordered with a wink.

The Queen got up and beckoned the girl to follow her back inside the palace, which she did somewhat reluctantly. She followed Kjelle into a room she hadn't seen yet.

"Over here." Kjelle ordered, her voice notably quieter than it had been before.

The woman gestured to a window along the back wall. It looked out onto the castle gardens, and if they stood off to the side, they wouldn't be spotted. Ruby shuffled to the Queen's side uncomfortably, and Kjelle put a finger in front of her lips to signal her to keep quiet, not that she needed to be told. As quietly as she could, Kjelle slid open the window halfway.

_"I... I never hated you, Prince."_ they heard Cadence say.

* * *

"Then why? Why did you just turn your back on me?" Iniabi asked quietly.

Cadence's brow furrowed and she clenched her jaw as she heard the pain in his voice. He'd only been eleven when she'd cut off contact with him, his parents, and her former collegues. Just a child.

"I... I can't say." Cadence replied, her voice cracking slightly.

"Why not, Cadence?" Iniabi asked, frustrated.

"I just can't, Iniabi. Please... just let me take my daughter and go." Cadence replied, barely above a whisper.

Iniabi heard no anger or frustration in her voice. It sounded as though she was begging him to drop this, but he wouldn't. With a small sigh, Iniabi got to his feet and paced a few steps away, his hands jammed into his pockets.

"I loved you, you know. I still do, even now. Even after... you just kicked me aside." Iniabi said.

"I wasn't..." Cadence started to say.

"I came to terms with it. I accepted it. But... it never stopped hurting." Iniabi said.

He paused a moment, taking a deep breath through his nose, and then turned around to look at his former crush with a serious expression.

"I want to know why, Cadence. You owe me that much, at least." Iniabi said.

Cadence's face scrunched up in turmoil. For over a minute, she didn't say anything, nor did the Exalt look away from her.

"I... I love you too. I loved you then, I love you now... more than I could ever say. That's... that's why I had to keep away from you. I... needed to protect you." Cadence explained, her voice hitching in her throat.

Her voice was quiet, wavering, and weak, as though merely speaking the words caused her physical pain.

"I needed to protect the both of you." Cadence whispered.

For a moment, the heartache in the woman's voice almost made Iniabi consider dropping the subject. He wasn't sure why, but that last bit pierced right through him from the sound of it. He was almost afraid to push forward, but something pressed him onward.

"What, um... what do you mean "both" of you?" Iniabi asked.

"Iniabi, please..." Cadence started to plead.

"What do you mean, Cadence?" Iniabi asked angrily.

Cadence's face twisted up in a mess of fear, sorrow, and regret. The Exalt could see the tears welling up in her eyes, her nostril's flaring with heavy breaths, and her lower lip trembling as she bit down on it, but he had to know. He needed know, and close nearby, Ruby felt she needed to know, too. Cadence shut her eyes, trying in vain to force back the tears.

"D-Do you... do you remember the night of your eleventh birthday?" Cadence asked.

Iniabi frowned slightly as he thought back.

"There... there was a party Mother and Father held for me. Aunt Lucina attended it with Uncle Gerome, pregnant with my first cousin Benjamin at the time. Cynthia, Grandmother Robin, Grandfather Chrom, Grandmother Heather, Grandfather Ryder, Aunt Lissa, Uncle Frederick, my cousin Owain, and others were there, too." Iniabi replied.

"A-After that?" Cadence asked.

"After that?" Iniabi asked in confusion.

He'd gotten tired after celebrating for so long with Cynthia, his family, and his other friends, and Morgan had him put to sleep. He started to wonder what she meant by that... until he remembered something.

"Wait..." Iniabi started to say.

_"Heeey, Innnny!"_ Cadence greeted in a drunken slur.

_"Nnn... M-Miss Cadence... what're you..."_ Iniabi started to ask.

Iniabi started to not like where his memories were going.

"You... came into my room. You were drunk, right?" Iniabi asked.

Cadence's face scrunched up even further, the tears beginning to flow freely from her cheeks. All she could do was give a small nod. Iniabi furrowed his brow, his mouth hanging open slightly as he struggled to remember more. He could vaguely recall her crying to him about something.

_"Move overrr, Inny."_ Cadence pleaded.

_"Alright, alright."_ Iniabi muttered.

Iniabi could feel something squeezing down on his heart. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

_"You're shooo undershtanding, Inny. Why can't aaaalll guys be like you?"_ Cadence asked in a major slur.

_"Miss Cadence, knock it off... just go to sleep, okay?"_ Iniabi asked.

_"C'mooon... yer my shpeshul lil' guy..."_ Cadence slurred.

"C-Cadence..." Iniabi started to say, his throat suddenly feeling very dry.

"I... I didn't mean for it to happen, Iniabi." Cadence whimpered, half of her face hidden in her palm.

_"M-Miss Cadence... what're you doing?"_ Iniabi asked tiredly.

_"Sssshhhh... don't woooorry about it, little prince."_ Cadence replied with a drunken smile.

"I swear to Naga, Iniabi, I don't even remember doing it..." Cadence started to say.

Iniabi wasn't listening. His breaths were growing short, his heart beating in his chest as it started to come back to him.

"Cadence... Cadence, t-that was just a dream. It... it didn't happen. It was just a dream, right?" Iniabi asked.

It was more like he was begging Cadence. The redhead woman simply shook her head, her body rattling with sobs.

_"There, see? That's right... that's right, you love it!"_ Cadence slurred, smiling as she looked down at Iniabi's tear-filled face.

"O-Oh gods..." Iniabi started to say shakily.

"I'm sorry... I-I'm so sorry, Iniabi." Cadence said tearfully.

Iniabi couldn't breathe. He could barely think. It was all returning to him now. The memory that had been buried within him for so long. He'd chalked it up to a dream at the time, some strange fantasy that had popped into his mind at the cusp of puberty. But now, he could see it clearly. He could see a much-younger Cadence coming into his room, slurring her speech. He could smell the alcohol on her breath. He could feel her tears on his face, then her warmth as she got into bed beside him, her soft and slender fingers tracing their way down his stomach. The nude maid, writhing in ecstasy above him. Iniabi clamped a hand over his mouth. He felt like he was going to be sick. That had been right before Cadence had quit as a maid in the castle and moved away... just over twenty three years ago, roughly the same age Ruby was.

"O-Oh... o-oh Naga..." Iniabi stammered, his eyes wide and full of horror.

"She's your's, Iniabi. Ruby... she's your's. She's a Princess of Ylisse." Cadence choked.


End file.
